AROUND TOWN list.co.uk/aroundtown
HITLIST THE BEST FESTS, FOOD & EVENTS
✽ Good Food Show Scotland The food and drink extravaganza heads north again for another serving of celebrity chefs and star culinary attractions. Special guests include Mary Berry (pictured above), Paul Hollywood, James Martin and Tom Kitchin. SECC, Glasgow, Fri 17–Sun 19 Oct.
✽ Gordon Buchanan: Lost Adventures The wildlife cameraman and presenter of The Polar Bear Family and Me shares tales of his global travels. See preview, page 46. Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Mon 27 Oct; Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Tue 4 Nov.
✽ Night in the Garden The outdoor lighting festival to end them all, with the famous
gardens made to look spectacular for a month. See preview, page 49. Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, Thu 30 Oct–Sun 23 Nov.
✽ Samhuinn Mark the end of summer
and welcome winter with this magnificent torchlit procession from the Royal Mile, down Cockburn Street and finishing at the Mound precinct. Royal Mile and Calton Hill, Edinburgh, Fri 31 Oct.
✽ Close Fest The Real Mary King’s Close hosts this spooky festival which covers
music, tours, talks, murder mystery and comedy for brave-hearted folks. The Real Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh, Fri 31 Oct–Sat 8 Nov.
✽ Unplugged Games Club Switch off your iPad and kick it old-school with an evening
of fun and games. The club meets monthly to enjoy board, card, roleplay and miniatures games from the lo-fi and quirky to more complicated strategy stuff. See feature page 25. Govanhill Baths, Glasgow, Sun 9 Nov.
HALLOWE’EN ROUND-UP 2014 Where to get your ghoul on when 31 October rolls round
O f all the inventive and entertaining events on offer across central Scotland to coincide with Hallowe’en this year, the opportunity to ‘dress as a plague victim’ at Night of the Black Death (Almond Valley, Livingston, Fri 31 Oct) is surely one of the most enticing. Described as part guessing game, part murder mystery and part game of tig, it’s a role play event for families with older children. There will also be further scary outdoor events going on at Fright Night (Linlithgow Palace, Fri 24 & Sat 25 Oct and Fri 31 Oct & Sat 1 Nov) and at Ghosts of Traquair (Traquair House, Innerleithen, Fri 24 & Sat 25 Oct and Fri 31 Oct & Sat 1 Nov), both ghost tours which play upon the history of their locations.
In the cities, meanwhile, the traditional pagan celebration of the Samhuinn Fire Festival (Calton Hill, Edinburgh, Fri 31 Oct) will be
as impressively theatrical as ever, while Close Fest 2014 (Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh, Fri 31 Oct–Sat 8 Nov) will see one of the most popular tourist attractions in the capital hosting a variety of talks and themed events. There will also be a Burke & Hare-themed Hallowe’en tour at Edinburgh Dungeon until Sun 2 Nov. In the west, a special youth event called Trick or Treat? (Tramway, Glasgow, Thu 30 Oct) precedes that evening’s performance of Dracula – learning the ‘Thriller’ dance is inclusive, apparently – and a Mexican- style Day of the Dead Glesga (pictured – Stereo, Glasgow, Sat 1 Nov) party features tequila, face painting and Latin-flavoured sounds. Elsewhere look out for the Scottish Paranormal Festival (Stirling, Thu 30 Oct– Sun 2 Nov) and the Conflux-designed Bloody Boyds (Dean Castle, Kilmarnock, Fri 31 Oct– Sun 2 Nov). (David Pollock)
44 THE LIST 16 Oct–13 Nov 2014